Heretofore, releasable connecting devices as applied to the commercial fishing industry utilize locking and releasing methods such as sliding load supports, spring loaded pins, pivoted latches, swivel locking arms, trip levers and, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,731 issued to Smith on Apr. 21, 1989, directed to a pelican hook, and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,934,933; 3,979,803; and 4,850,254. These and similar methods have addressed functional locking and releasing means for light to moderate tensile loads. Unfortunately, when such methods are applied to heavy tensile loads, the release mechanisms absorb an excessive amount of the tensile load resulting in increased friction of the mechanisms requiring an inordinate amount of force by the user to release them and premature fatigue of the mechanisms that causes a decrease in the locking security of the devices.
In order to transfer this increased tensile load from the release mechanism to the connecting body of the device and still allow use of release and locking security, devices such as that taught by Smith provide compound release mechanisms to dissipate the tensile load. This results in complex and bulky devices not easily handled and costly to manufacture.
Heretofore, no lightweight releasable connecting devices have been presented which utilize a simple toggle locking and releasing mechanism as a sole means to transfer the tensile load from the releasing mechanism to the body and securely lock and release a connecting member under heavy tensile load without substantial effort by the user and undo stress to working parts of the device. Further, no releasable toggle locking connecting devices have been heretofore presented which have means to adjust the desired locking pressure of the device.
Purse seining for salmon and especially herring requires that the fishing vessel tow a powered seine skiff in order to approach and capture a school of fish. At the appropriate time the skiff is manually released from the vessel. After being connected to one end of the seine, the skiff proceeds to pull the seine from the vessel into the water. Both the skiff and the vessel cause the seine to ultimately encircle and capture the school of fish.
The skiff is releasably connected to the vessel by a connecting device located between the lines connecting the vessel's deck winch and the towed skiff. The connecting device is suspended under tension several feet above the vessel's deck by the opposing tensile forces. The connecting device typically is manually released with a release line by a crew member pulling in a direction toward himself and standing, often dangerously, in the path taken by the no-longer-suspended device as it drops to the deck or recoils toward the crew member after release has occurred.
Thus, devices, as in Smith, provide a releasing means actuated by a pulling force exerted in a single direction, often one dangerously opposing the tensile force vector applied to the connecting member.
All activities in conjunction with the approach and release of the skiff must occur in relative silence as herring in schools are prone to sound (dive) when disturbed by loud, sharp noises, thereby avoiding capture. Prior art, such as in Smith, do not show noise and shock dampening means and are therefore mechanically noisy when release occurs.
Preventing the connecting device from noisily crashing to the deck after release has occurred requires a lightweight device with a direction of release (other than a direction of release that opposes the tensile force vector applied to the connection member) that allows the user, by means of a short release line, to hold or suspend the device above the deck after release has occurred. Further, devices such as disclosed in Smith, do not provide a configuration easily rendered unobstructive to snagging when used in conjunction with fishing gear such as seines or gill nets.